Jackery is a mainstay of the power back-up industry being one of the original companies to offer such quality devices and products. I remember seeing their adverts some several years ago before the big boom of power stations.
So, I tested out the Jackery Explorer 3000 v2, packing in a 3072Wh of capacity with a combined max output of 3600W continuous load. Having tested plenty of the best portable power stations, it's notable that few offer one with nearly as much capacity without the use of add on batteries or output as this one.
Image 4 (Image credit: Future)
Jackery Explorer 3000 V2: Unboxing
The Explorer 3000 v2 came in a non-descript brown cardboard box, opening it gave way to a satin printed box in the Jackery orange tone, on the side were some nice handles in order to lift the inner box out.
Placing it on the table came with a heavy thud, the Explorer 3000 is certainly weighty, but about the same as other lesser capacity power stations. Removing the Explorer 3000 isn’t hard, open the box, get the manual and power cable out the way, top protective lid off then just lift the Explorer 3000 out. Only the Explorer 3000, manual and AC power cable are provided.
(Image credit: Future)
Jackery Explorer 3000 v2: First impressions
Switching it on for the first time shows that the Explorer 3000 had 28% charge, a typical charge amount I would expect for the product as the battery chemistry of LiFePO4 prefers around 30% for long term storage.
IMAGE 5 (Image credit: Future)
Size wise, measuring in at 16.38 x 12.80 x 12.01in and weighing in at 59.5lb. I compared its size to the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 if that was on your shortlist and whilst it is bigger in size, the Jackery Explorer 3000 v2 does come with extra capacity and output so needs somewhere to store all of that.
There are two large handles on either side for carrying it like a milk crate. It can be carried by one hand on one of the handles but some may find this difficult to do.
(Image credit: Future)
The front of the power station is the main part with all the important functions, it has:
3 x UK AC outlets capable of delivering 230V at 50Hz in a Pure Sine Wave at 13Amps max, with a total power output of 3600W across all three sockets and can with stand sudden surge demands of up to 7200W for short periods of time.
2 x USB-A ports with 18W max on each
2 x USB-C ports with 100W max on each
1 x Cigarette Lighter Port at 12V with a max load of 10Amps
The left, top, bottom and backside haven’t got much and are bare, save for the back side having the product label.
On the right side is the “input side” with the following:
1 x AC input via the common IEC C13/14 power socket, able to accept 220v to 240v in coming AC at a max of 10A
2 x DC input via an 8020 DC plug which is able to support 16 volts to 60 volts at a max of 12A on a single port with a maximum over all of 1000W input on both barrels.
One disappointment is that the Explorer 3000 v2 all of the sockets have no covers or any ingress protection.
(Image credit: Future)
The front also has the main screen status screen which can be used by the user for a glance at what’s going on. The center of the screen is dominated by the percentage of remaining battery life with a circle around it that shows if it is in use.
On the left of the screen is input and the right is output displaying the number of watts in coming or outgoing respectively on either AC or DC. There are other status symbols which only illuminate when is use such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and so on.
(Image credit: Future)
Jackery Explorer 3000 V2: In use
I used the Explorer 3000 v2 on a few tasks through the house to see how it would fair and if any of these everyday household appliances would stress the battery. I ran an air fryer, induction hob, hair dryer and even an air heater, all separately of course and the Explorer 3000 powered on without a hitch. Each one using not much of the 3kWh of battery storage.
Trying to push it further, I brought out my large 3HP Air compressor, plugged that in and gave it a whirl, that managed a max draw around 2250W. I was able to spray paint my entire shed in the day using only about 30% of the battery bringing it down from 100% to 70%.
Charging the power station can be tricky, assuming you have a normal electricity tariff at 20 cents per kWh, this means that charging the Explorer 3000 from 0 to 100% would cost you around a $1.05.
The Explorer 3000 v2 supports charge from Solar Panels, ideally you would use one of Jackery’s SolarSaga line of panels but their biggest one only output at around 200W, but you will need at least 2 or more as charging this on a single SolarSaga 200W will take approximately 22 hours assuming clear sunny sky and constantly repositioning the panels. Connecting up to four additional SolarSaga 200W panels will in essence reduce the number of hours needed to charge but a splitter is required.
One notable negative is that Jackery opted to use a DC8020 Connector and socket, so if you had spare solar panels or the rigid or foldable kind, you would need to source either an MC4 or XT60/90 connector to DC8020 adapter.
Charging via the AC cable is as simple as plugging it in, the Explorer 3000 detects power, turns its self on and starts charging at full speed unless you otherwise specify a lower charge speed or schedule it.
Somehow Jackery managed to essentially fit a DC to AC inverter capable of out putting 3600W in the space of a milk crate. In comparison, most inverters installed permanently in homes for solar power are of the 3.6kWh type with few being more than 4, 5 or even 6. Most homes, even larger 3-bedroom houses in the UK, draw around 250 to 300W on idle these days, imagine the savings if you ran a house on this during the day and charge it during the night on the right tariff.
Jackery Explorer 3000 V2: App
Once set up the unit, I delved into the app. A quick app download, registration and I was in. Adding the battery to the app was a simple and quick affair.
On the home screen you are greeted by your Jackery products, on this occasion the Explorer 3000 v2 and state of charge.
Tapping on the battery led me to the main status screen of the battery showing is state of charge, inputs, outputs, Wi-Fi signal strength, temperature and some basic controls.
Tapping on the cog on the top right led to more in depth controls and settings and through this the product specifications.
Using the app, I did find it a bit laggy. I would click on an icon to switch on say USB charging and about 5 seconds later the icon lit up and my phone acknowledge charge. I found I had to click back forth to see that it had done what I asked of it.
But to be honest, you will seldom be using the app, you would set up the battery the way you like it and just use it.
(Image credit: Future)
Jackery Explorer 3000 v2: Final verdict
The Explorer 3000 v2 is another solid product by Jackery improving on the Explorer 2000 battery I recently reviewed.
Whilst most people will think of these products as camping or recreation products, like in my last review ill refer back to the power outages of Spain and Portugal earlier this year.
Perhaps having one of these at home isn’t a bad idea after all. An old saying comes to mind “I’d rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it”.
High output and high storage mean that this is superb for most home uses in an emergency or using off peak charging to use during the day.
BisectHosting has been around since 2011 as a child company of Venture Node LLC and was registered in Ohio. The company focuses on providing the best Minecraft server hosting but also covers several other games including Rust, Terraria, 7 Days to Die, Valheim, ARK: Survival Evolved and many more.
Relatively unusually for a game hosting provider, BisectHosting also provides other web hosting services such as shared hosting, VPSand dedicated server hostingto those who want to launch their own website.
BisectHosting’s main website is a good example of a user-friendly approach done right, where you’ll be able to find everything you need within a reach of a click or two. It has 20 server locations around the world with the majority in Europe and USA, but others scattered across the globe. Bear in mind that some of these are only accessible for those signing up to a Premium plan.
With strong claims of being the ultimate destination for seemingly everything, I dived into BisectHosting to see how well it works as a Minecraft server provider, looking at its pricing, how easy it is to use, and more.
There are many Minecraft pricing plans. (Image credit: BisectHosting)
BisectHosting plans and pricing
For those interested in Minecraft server hosting only, BisectHosting offers forty packages in total (a half of which are “Budget” while the other half belongs to “Premium” ones), which is such a considerable amount of choices that we were struck with analysis paralysis straight away.
Even the budget-friendly ones are chock-full of features that are fundamental in Minecraft, including custom JAR support, full FTP access, free MySQL, a free subdomain, free DDoS protection and more. The most affordable “Budget” plan will cost you mere $5.98 per month and provide 2GB of RAM and support for up to 12 slots, in addition to everything mentioned above.
Apart from Minecraft, there are fitting packages for other popular multiplayer games including: Terraria, Valheim, ARK: Survival Evolved, Left 4 Dead 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, 7 Days to Die, Rust, Counter Strike: Source, Arma 3, Garry's Mod and Team Fortress 2.
Besides gaming-focused hosting, BisectHosting offers a few options for those looking to host a website (or several of them) which include shared hosting (that start at $2.99 per month), VPS (from $4 a month) and dedicated server hosting solutions (from $109 a month).
All hosting packages (with the exception of dedicated ones) come with 3-day money-back guarantee. Although it is far below the industry’s standard, at least there is one being actually offered.
As for payment methods, BisectHosting currently accepts credit cards, PayPal, and Paysafecard.
You can manage your Minecraft server from BisectHosting's modified control panel (Image credit: BisectHosting)
Ease of use
One thing BisectHosting provides all of its users with is an abundance of choice, with something being offered to suit most tastes. Whether you want hosting for a small multiplayer community or a large one, BisectHosting should get you covered with its unlimited slots.
Those who are on the lookout for Minecraft server hosting services can select from Bedrock (mobile) and Java (original) edition, with more pre-designed packages being provided for Java. Whichever you opt for, the following step is to select a plan and check all of its details, such as data center location, billing cycle and add-ons.
If you aren’t hell bent on saving a few bucks, you could go with the most pocket-friendly out of the “Premium” packages, since they come with all features you could wish for without the need to pay extra for each of them. The most noteworthy are: unlimited slots, NVMe SSD space, dedicated IP, daily backups, Sponge installation and modpack updates and installations. Of course, all of “Budget” server features are included in this one as well.
Creating an account with BisectHosting will require you to provide a number of personal details (although nothing out of the ordinary) and since instant setup is one of their key features, your server will be ready to use in the blink of an eye.
All server hosting plans come with a highly modified version of MultiCraft as your control panel, and which variation you’ll get depends on whether you chose a plan from the “Budget” or “Premium” section. Both control panels share the same easy-to-use functionality and will enable fast navigation for Java and Bedrock users alike. Even if you haven't used any version of MultiCraft before, with its user-friendly interface you should be able to swiftly find ways to customize your server by installing modpacks, plugins, server JARs and much more.
We used GTmetrix to measure the uptime and response time of our BisectHosting server (Image credit: GTmetrix)
Speed and experience
In order to fulfil its goal and become one of the best Minecraft server providers out there, BisectHosting should present us with close to perfect performance, even more so since they claim that NVMe or SSDs are used exclusively to run all of their game servers. After testing the speed of BisectHosting’s main website by utilizing GTmetrix as our tool we got somewhat expected and highly satisfactory results. All vital web metrics related to speed performance were well above the average, resulting in near-perfect an A (99%)
Although BisectHosting offers no uptime guarantee, according to the results we got after monitoring it for a month (via UptimeRobot) it should be close to 100%. No major oscillations were recorded in response time and not a single second of downtime on top of everything. Admittedly, one month of perfect performance doesn’t have to be indicative of a whole year, but it sure seems like a good start.
Support
As reported by a large number of their users (and supported by our own first-hand experience) BisectHosting’s customer support team is one of their major selling points. Not only they are at your disposal around-the-clock, but the persons in charge are responsive, resourceful and very respectful in their approach to customers. This “dream team” can be reached via support ticket and live chat.
You can find answers to common problems in BisectHosting's knowledgebase (Image credit: BisectHosting)
If you want to be more self-sufficient, you’ll find a major source of information in BisectHosting’s knowledgebase. It currently contains 139 articles in total which are split into ten corresponding categories (Billing Panel, Domain Management, Game Servers, Minecraft Java/Bedrock Servers and so forth). As far as we can see, most of these articles are easy-to-follow and often supplemented with pictures or video tutorials from BisectHosting’s official YouTube channel.
We should give a special mention to their YouTube channel as well, since it is only less than a year old and, yet, it is overflowing with how-to videos which seem to be coming out on a weekly basis.
The competition
When placed side by side, Shockbyte and BisectHosting seem quite similar in terms of pricing, features and support, but there are small differences that might be decisive for some users. Shockbyte is more famous for its overall performance (which means high response time, low latency and lag improbabilities), while BisectHosting’s technical team is doing a better job with support for unlimited domains, SSL certificates and backups.
Both Apex Hosting and BisectHosting offer servers of all sizes with a myriad of additional options. However, the cheapest Minecraft server hosting option with Apex Hosting will cost you $4.49 per month (and for the first month only, after which it will rise to $5.99), while with BisectHosting it’s merely $2.99 per month. On the other hand, with Apex Hosting you’ll get a somewhat longer money-back guarantee.
Besides game server hosting, BisectHosting provides a shared web hosting option with a few attractive features and pricing that is a match for Bluehost’s. The cheapest plans with both hosts come at quite an attractive price, which is $2.95 per month with Bluehost and $2.99 with BisectHosting. However, with Bluehost’s plan you’ll get free domain registration, a free SSL certificate and CDN, which is hard to beat.
HostGator is a great alternative both to Bluehost and BisectHosting for all those looking for a simple-to-use yet feature-packed hosting service equally fit for individual users and small businesses. As expected, even with its cheapest plan, HostGator provides users with a wide array of beginner-friendly and useful features (free domain registration, one-click installs, a free SSL certificate, free domain and website transfer, free MySQL and script transfer, and a generous 45-day money back guarantee), so it might be a better choice.
Final verdict
On the question if BisectHosting is likely to make your gaming dreams come alive, we would have to say “yes, probably”. It offers a great diversity with its Minecraft packages, a full set of favorable features, prompt and proficient customer support and all at a pocket-friendly price.
Its web hosting packages are, however, another matter and leave out some of the beginner-friendly bonuses we are accustomed to see with other providers. Newcomers who would like to get some of those benefits are better off with fan-favorites such as HostGator, Hostinger or Bluehost.
Apex Hosting is a US-based company which launched in 2013. Its goal according to the site is to "deliver the highest level of customer support to our Minecraft server hosting clients". It makes sense then to see it feature prominently in our look at the best Minecraft server hosting. Registered in Florida, USA, its main office is situated in Sarasota with data centres across 18 locations around the world .
These include six locations in the USA (Portland, Las Vegas, San Jose, Dallas, Vint Hill and Miami), and one each in the following countries: Canada (Montreal), Brazil (Sao Paulo), the UK (London), France (Gravelines), Poland (Warsaw), Germany (Frankfurt), Israel (Tel Aviv), Russia (Moscow), China (Hong Kong), Singapore (Singapore), Australia (Sydney) and Turkey (Istanbul).
While its website isn't the most visually appealing of sites, Apex Hosting knows what counts for users. Below, you'll find exactly how I found the service with most of the things available within a few clicks.
Apex Hosting offers a wide variety of plans to suit your Minecraft server hosting needs (Image credit: Apex Hosting)
Apex Hosting plans and pricing
Apex Hosting offers 14 Minecraft packages with the most budget-friendly plan starting at $5.99 for the first month (renewing at $7.99). For the price, you get 2GB RAM which Apex explains is good for basic servers and some modpacks.
To be able to confidently enjoy all modpacks imaginable, opt for the 8GB RAM package which costs $20.99 for the first month recurring at $27.99. In all cases, there’s a discount for committing to paying quarterly but this is still a little pricier than some game server alternatives.
The most expensive option offers 32GB RAM for $77.99 for the first month, increasing to $103.99. All plans offer unlimited player slots, dedicated live chat support, full DDoS protection, automated backups, a free subdomain, one-click pack installers, and unlimited storage.
Another option is to sign up for the Ex Series which has 16GB RAM but also a more powerful server with the Ryzen 9 5900X 4.8GHz, NVMe SSDs, free premium support, and a free dedicated IP.
Although there is no free trial, Apex Hosting provides a 7-day money-back guarantee, which is always handy to have. As for payment methods, Apex Hosting accepts credit/debit cards, and PayPal.
Ease of use
With so many Minecraft server plans, it's pretty easy to figure out what will work best for you. They all offer unlimited player slots but you will be somewhat limited by the RAM available to you. Fortunately, users have the flexibility to change their chosen plan at any time, so if one plan doesn’t fit your bill, there is probably another one that will. However, if neither of them work for you, don’t forget about their money-back guarantee.
After choosing your server, you’ll have to configure some details about it (billing cycle, your Minecraft username, server version and optional subdomain) and decide if you want to include a few add-ons for extra cash (plugin installations, permissions setup, dedicated IP or premium support). Oddly, there are only two options in regard to the billing cycle (monthly and quarterly) with a saving of 10% when you commit to quarterly. After this, you’ll have to provide your personal information, pick out a payment method, create a password and proceed to checkout.
This is Apex Hosting's customized Multicraft control panel (Image credit: Apex Hosting)
Since Apex Hosting utilizes a customized version of easy-to-use Multicraft as its control panel, keeping your server running and managing all of its aspects should become a straightforward experience in no time. In addition to that, video guides are found only a click away, as is one-click modpack installer, all of which is sure to make things even easier.
Another noteworthy feature that is included with every package is automated backups, which will ensure the safety of your Minecraft world.
We used GTmetrix to test the uptime and response time of our Apex Hosting server (Image credit: GTmetrix)
Speed and experience
While boasting (and rightfully so) about hosting over 200,000 Minecraft servers and having the best support in the whole industry (which should be put under question), Apex Hosting brings up their dedicated hardware features such as “high clock speed” CPUs and the use of SSDs. This should indicate high TPS and lag-free servers for all of their customers. To check out the speed of their servers we tested the performance of their main website with GTmetrix as our tool. The results we got were pretty promising, with all the vital web metrics being above the average and rated with a conclusive grade of an A (100%).
Apex Hosting promises a 99.9% uptime and, as reported by UptimeRobot, it is very likely that you’ll be able to uphold it. We monitored Apex Hosting’s main website for more than a month and were presented with a report showing an impeccable 100% of uptime, which came as a welcome surprise. Not a second of downtime was recorded and while there were several oscillations in response time, they should have no substantial impact on the overall performance.
Support
Although we were rather skeptical about Apex Hosting’s claims to have “the best support in the industry” we decided to give them a chance to prove us wrong. Their customer support is available 24/7 through tickets and live chat, which they seem to take great pride in. From our perspective, chat seems well-organized and functions as a one-stop-solution for most of the problems one might encounter along the way. A support agent we got in touch with responded within five minutes and provided us with everything we wanted to know in a very kind way. If you are using some of the same social platforms they are active on, you can try to reach them there as well.
You can find answers to common web hosting and Minecraft server-related questions in Apex Hosting's knowledgebase (Image credit: Apex Hosting)
If you prefer finding solutions on your own, Apex Hosting’s knowledgebase should probably be your first stop, although their YouTube channel shouldn’t be overlooked since it offers a decent number of easy-to-follow video guides.
The competition
Both Shockbyte and Apex Hosting tend to get high on the majority of “best Minecraft host” lists, and rightfully so. While Shockbyte has more server options in general, a longer list of features and all at a budget-friendly price, Apex Hosting is stronger in terms of customer support.
BisectHosting is another provider determined to make a Minecraft server hosting experience as easy as possible, much like Apex Hosting does. However, BisectHosting is slightly stronger in terms of package options, features and included add-ons, while Apex Hosting provides superior support to its customers. Additionally the daily backups you’ll get with Apex Hosting are a great bonus.
Another difference between the two is the availability of web hosting options (shared hosting, VPS and dedicated server hosting) you have with BisectHosting, but not with Apex Hosting, since it’s focusing on Minecraft. Another web hosting alternative and quite a popular one, would be Bluehost, since in addition to attractive pricing, it provides a full range of hosting services capable of responding to most needs.
Another good (and beginner-friendly) choice for those looking to launch their own website would be HostGator. Besides everything one would expect from a well-known host, they offer their own easy-to-use website builder with all of their shared hosting plans (even the cheapest one) and a 45-day money-back guarantee with “no questions asked”.
Final verdict
There are several reasons behind Apex Hosting’s growing popularity among Minecraft fans, including a variety of server options and total control over it. When we add fast and lag-free performance, backups and DDoS protection, simple-to-use control panel and first-class support to the deal, it’s really hard to say “no” to Apex Hosting.
Although the money-back guarantee is valid for only seven days and might not seem particularly generous, it is actually a bit longer than what is found with some of the company's Minecraft-focused competitors. For a usual 30-day one, you can try out Hostinger, which is one of top web hosting providers out there, with and without Minecraft.
However, if you are on the lookout for a reputable and reliable host for your website and don’t even know how you ended up here in the first place, don’t miss out on checking Bluehost and HostGator.
The Dabbsson DBS1000 Pro portable power station provides 2000W of inverter power in a compact footprint. The base unit features a 1000Wh battery that can be expanded to 5kWh with additional packs. The unit has four fans and is quiet enough to work in an office environment. It supports a handy UPS mode, where the AC output switches from the grid to the battery in under 15ms, ensuring uninterrupted office work.
It has all the bells and whistles that the competition offers: a super-fast charger, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support, and a sleek mobile app for remote operation. With the addition of a battery pack, the inverter's output power increases to 2400W, a feature not found in similar products. The DBS1000 comes with a powerful front flashlight to help in roadside emergencies and supports three types of charging.
Dabbsson DBS1000: Price and Availability
The Dabbson DBS1000 carries an MSRP of $899 and is on special for $541 for a limited time. The 2kWh battery expansion, which usually costs $1499, is available at a reduced price of $1099 also for a limited time. Other product variants include two DBS1000s with a parallel connector box that increases the output inverter power and battery capacity. This combination is discounted to $1700 from an MSRP of $2549.
(Image credit: Future)
Dabbsson DBS1000: Design
The Dabbsson DBS1000 ships with one AC cord and two DC cables for car and solar charging. A user manual and a warranty card complete the package. The unit is compact, measuring 43 cm x 25 cm x 25 cm, which translates to a volume of just under 28 liters. Two large handles on either side of the case help carry the 16kg unit around effortlessly. The top surface is clear of obstructions and can act as a small table, making it ideal for resting electronic devices such as tablets and phones.
Specifications
Battery chemistry: LiFePO4
Battery capacity: 1024Wh
Number of charge cycles: Over 4000 before 20% drop
AC output power: 2000W, surge 4000W
Number of AC outlets: 4
Number of USB sockets: 3 Type A, 3 Type C
Number of 12V sockets: 1 XT60, 1 Cigar lighter, 2 DC 5521
Number of extra battery ports: 2, total of 5120Whr
AC inverter efficiency: 90%
Number of power inputs: 3
Fastest charge time: 1 hour
Additional features: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, flashlight
Weight: 16kg
The user interface features a large LCD on the front panel. The high-contrast display is easily visible from a distance of a few meters. The remaining battery capacity, input and output power consumption, and warnings such as low battery are displayed clearly. User interaction is straightforward through push buttons located near the output sections, which illuminate when activated.
The DBS1000 features four AC power sockets that can supply over 2000W with a 4000W surge capacity. The unit also allows the power limit to exceed 2000W for longer durations through the P-Boost mode when not charging. The P-Boost mode is compatible only with resistive devices, such as electrical heaters, as the AC output voltage can vary depending on the available thermal margin.
The Dabbsson station provides nine low-voltage DC outputs. Six USB ports, organized as three Type-A and three Type-C ports, give the user multiple options to charge devices, such as smartphones and laptops. Two Type-Cs support up to 100W in PD mode, while two Type-As can fast charge at 18W. The remaining three DC outputs are all 12V, consisting of a 120W cigar outlet and two DC5521, each supporting 50W. The DC and AC outputs have a combined power budget of 2200W.
Dabbsson DBS1000: In Use
A short press on the power button activates the unit. The LCD shows status information, including battery capacity and whether any protection features have been triggered. The display will turn off after five minutes if the station remains unused to conserve power, and it will resume operation when a load is connected. To turn off the unit, a long press on the power button is required.
The DBS1000 has a fast AC charger that supports input power of up to 1200W. DC charging through solar panels, with a similar power rating, is also available. Considering the unit’s 90% efficiency, the station will fully charge the 1000Wh battery in under one hour. The power station can accept a DC voltage of up to 60V at a maximum of 25A, representing six 200W solar cells arranged in a 3-series x 2-parallel configuration.
Any abnormal behavior triggers a self-protection mechanism that turns off the input and output ports. For example, the input current can remain above 20A for an extended period, triggering the overload protection. The app shows a pop-up explaining the issue. The user can then decide to continue charging by clearing the fault.
Dabbsson's mobile app is available on both Android and iOS platforms. Once installed, the next step is to enable pairing by pressing the IOT button on the station. The DBS1000 should be detected automatically and added to the app homepage. The optional firmware update may appear as a single step during the initial setup. The final step is to enable Wi-Fi, which allows for full remote access to the unit.
(Image credit: Future)
Dabbsson DBS1000: The competition
The DBS1000 has plenty of competition. The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 possesses features similar to those of the DBS1000. With a 1000Wh battery capacity and a comparable number of output sockets, the Jackery 1000 lacks a mobile app and is non-expandable. It also cannot sustain the same output power as the DBS1000. Finally, the Dabbsson station is less expensive than Jackery’s offering, with a price tag of $999 compared to $1899 for the Jackery.
Dabbsson DBS1000: Final Verdict
The Dabbsson DBS1000 sets the bar high in terms of inverter power and battery capacity, all within a small footprint, and at a reasonable price. For a little less than $1000, the unit offers a 2000W AC inverter that can easily reach 4000W for short durations on a 1 kWh battery capacity. Having a way to increase battery capacity with extra modules is also a great option.
The unit offers multiple charging options, including solar or car DC input, an AC socket, and an additional battery port. The DBS1000 features include a UPS mode, fast charging, Wi-Fi, and an emergency light, making it an ideal companion for the road.
Buy the DBS1000 if you want a low-cost compact power station with an option to expand the battery capacity.
For many, much of our day-to-day life is now handled online, including financial management, shopping, family connections, work collaboration, and more. While digital technology offers numerous advantages, it also poses multiple security risks that threaten users both financially and personally.
Today's cybercriminals are constantly refining their tactics, deploying increasingly sophisticated attacks, including phishing scams, data breaches, and ransomware threats. These menacing strategies aim not only at financial theft but also often target our most sensitive data, leading to a cascade of complications that can significantly disrupt our lives.
This is where a dedicated identity theft protection service, like NordProtect, becomes invaluable. Acting as a real-time shield against potential threats, it provides proactive monitoring that continually watches over your personal information around the clock.
Picture receiving rapid alerts at the first hint of suspicious activity; this timely response can make all the difference in mitigating damage before it spirals out of control.
But it doesn't end there. Comprehensive recovery assistance provided by these services ensures that if the worst does happen, you're not navigating the aftermath alone. Specialists work with you to recover compromised accounts, restore your credit, and rebuild your digital identity, guiding you through each step with expertise and support.
NordProtect: Something new
Nord Security, the company behind the popular NordVPN, first introduced NordProtect in late 2023. At the time, it was only offered as part of NordVPN’s Prime plan in the U.S. In early 2025, however, the company expanded its availability, and NordProtect became available as a standalone product.
NordProtect: Plans and pricing
NordProtect offers three primary subscription levels: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The first is the basic plan and includes features like dark web monitoring, credit monitoring (TransUnion), VantageScore 3.0 credit score, credit freeze assistance, identity theft recovery ($1M), cyber extortion protection ($50K), online fraud coverage ($10K), cyber attack coverage ($10K), malware breach alerts, and criminal records monitoring.
The mid-priced Gold plan includes all the features of the Silver plan, plus the NordVPN service and Threat Protection Pro. The premium Platinum plan is the most comprehensive, offering all the features of Silver and Gold, along with NordVPN, Threat Protection Pro, and a personal data removal service (Incogni).
You can purchase a subscription on a monthly, yearly, or two-year basis. There are discounts available on annual and two-year plans for the first year, and all plans come with a 30-day unconditional guarantee.
(Image credit: Future)
At the time of this writing, two-year subscriptions will save 63% off the regular price, with Silver costing $132 for the first 24 months, Gold at $204, and Platinum at $288. One-year packages are available with a 50% discount, priced at $90 for Silver, $126 for Gold, and $168 for Platinum. There’s no discount when paying for the NordProtect service on a monthly basis. For this, you’ll pay $15.49 for Silver, $21.49 for Gold, and $28.49 for Platinum.
Please note that prices for the year- and two-year plans revert to the regular price after the completion of the first term.
For this review, I opened a Platinum subscription.
NordProtect: Key features and offerings
NordProtect delivers a complete suite of security features that protect personal information and enable recovery from security breaches with exact precision. The service delivers three core security components that monitor activity continuously and provide immediate alerts, together with financial protection, which form an integrated defense system for total identity security.
The NordProtect dark web monitoring service operates 24/7 to provide you with exceptional protection. The service scans continuously through illegal online marketplaces as well as forums and underground communities to detect any leaked personal data, such as email addresses, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers. You would receive immediate notifications when your information is compromised through this service, allowing you to react promptly and reduce potential security threats.
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The credit monitoring service of NordProtect works in conjunction with TransUnion to provide you with financial protection features. This feature detects financial identity threats, including unauthorized account inquiries and new accounts opened using your personal information. The system provides detailed monthly reports on VantageScore 3.0 credit scores, as well as immediate alerts about potential fraudulent activities, helping you maintain continuous awareness of your financial situation.
The core strength of NordProtect is its outstanding identity theft recovery support system. When identity theft occurs, you are protected by up to $1 million in insurance coverage for such incidents. This coverage extends to eligible expenses, including legal fees, lost wages due to identity theft, and mental health counseling costs. The identity restoration process is supported by dedicated case managers who provide personalized assistance throughout your recovery journey. The service guides you in freezing your credit and helps you navigate the complex task of restoring your credit score.
The identity protection service NordProtect stands out because it includes both cyber extortion protection and online fraud coverage as exclusive features. The cyber extortion protection provides up to $50,000 for expert assistance and possible ransom payments that occur when cybercriminals threaten to reveal or erase personal data.
NordProtect: Interface and in use
After extensive testing and hands-on experience with NordProtect, I found it to be remarkably user-friendly and intuitive. The primary access point is through a web-based dashboard within your Nord Account, which I appreciated for its centralized design. It allows for easy management and monitoring of various identity protection features, viewing alerts, and customizing settings—all without the need to download a separate application.
Being able to access NordProtect directly from a web browser significantly enhances its convenience. Additionally, I discovered that if you’re already a NordVPN Prime subscriber, you can seamlessly integrate these features into your existing Nord Account, which is a bonus.
During my testing across different devices and operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, I was impressed by the broad compatibility. This flexibility ensures that I can manage my identity protection effortlessly, regardless of whether I'm using my desktop or mobile device. Overall, my thorough evaluation confirms that NordProtect offers a solid solution for identity management.
The main drawback of NordProtect’s interface design stems from the separate methods users need to access NordVPN and Incogni. The NordVPN service is available with both Gold and Platinum subscriptions, whereas Incogni is only accessible through the Platinum plan. These software solutions operate independently and use different access methods. For example, users need to download the NordVPN app on their devices to access the service. The back-and-forth process between these services might create confusion for some users.
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For some, using Incogni could complicate things further. Nord Threat Protection Pro, which is part of NordVPN, and Incogni operate as separate services from Nord Security. They provide distinct yet supportive solutions for online privacy and security. Nord Threat Protection Pro provides real-time protection against immediate online threats. The digital shield protects your browsing experience by blocking malware , phishing sites , ads, and trackers regardless of VPN status. The system exists to prevent dangerous content from ever reaching your system.
Incogni specializes in proactive data removal from data broker databases. Through automated contact with brokers, Incogni removes your personal data, including names , addresses, phone numbers, and financial records. Incogni operates as a system that tracks your data while sending periodic deletion requests to minimize your digital presence and protect you from spam, scams , and identity theft.
The bottom line: Nord Threat Protection Pro stops new threats from entering, but Incogni removes existing data exposure, creating a comprehensive protection system when used together.
NordProtect: Support
Nord offers comprehensive customer support primarily through its robust online Help Center, which features extensive FAQs, tutorials, and troubleshooting guides covering various topics, including account management, billing, connectivity, and app usage. For more personalized assistance, customers can readily access 24/7 live chat support, which is recommended for urgent issues due to its typically quick response times.
Alternatively, for more complex inquiries or when immediate assistance isn't critical, customers can opt for email support, with responses usually provided within a few hours. These support channels are often accessible directly through Nord's websites and even within their applications, ensuring convenient access for users. While traditional phone support or call centers are not typically offered, Nord's combination of self-help resources and direct messaging options aims to provide thorough and accessible support for its diverse customer base.
NordProtect: The competition
In the competitive landscape of identity theft protection, NordProtect faces several established rivals.
Aura stands out as a strong competitor, often lauded for its comprehensive catch-all service, which provides extensive identity monitoring, including home and auto titles, financial accounts, and criminal records. Aura also frequently bundles additional cybersecurity perks, such as a VPN, password manager, and antivirus.
LifeLock by Norton is another major player, known for its strong identity theft insurance, often offering up to $3 million in coverage across personal expense reimbursements, stolen funds, and legal fees. While NordProtect focuses on TransUnion for credit monitoring, LifeLock offers three-bureau credit monitoring in its higher-tier plans, providing a broader view of credit activity.
Identity Guard is a direct competitor that offers in-depth monitoring and credit tracking, with its top-tier plans including three-bureau credit monitoring.
IDShield distinguishes itself by providing up to $3 million in identity theft insurance and assigning licensed private investigators to identity theft cases, as well as monitoring court and public records.
Lastly, IdentityForce offers a good balance of features, including a personal identity safety score and a customized action plan, and provides up to $2 million in identity theft insurance.
While NordProtect is a newer entrant backed by a strong cybersecurity reputation and often bundled with other Nord Security products, its competitors frequently offer more extensive multi-bureau credit monitoring and, in some cases, broader family plan options. credit monitoring and, in some cases, broader family plan options.
NordProtect: Final verdict
NordProtect, launched by Nord Security in late 2023, has evolved from being part of NordVPN’s Prime plan to a standalone identity theft protection service available since early 2025. It offers Silver, Gold, and Platinum subscription tiers, with monthly, yearly, and two-year payment options, as well as discounts for annual and biennial plans during the initial term. All plans are backed by a 30-day unconditional guarantee.
The service provides a comprehensive suite of security features, including 24/7 dark web monitoring, credit monitoring in partnership with TransUnion, and identity theft recovery support, which includes up to $1 million in insurance coverage. Notably, NordProtect also provides cyber extortion protection (up to $50,000) and online fraud coverage.
Users primarily access NordProtect through a web-based dashboard within their Nord Account, which is user-friendly and compatible across various devices and operating systems. While centralized access is convenient, a minor point of friction arises from the separate access methods required for bundled services, such as NordVPN (included in Gold and Platinum plans) and Incogni (exclusive to Platinum). Nord Threat Protection Pro, available with Gold and Platinum, complements Incogni (Platinum only) by preventing new threats and addressing existing data exposure.
NordProtect provides comprehensive customer support through an online Help Center, 24/7 live chat, and email. However, traditional phone support or call centers are not typically provided.
In the competitive identity theft protection market, NordProtect competes with established players, including Aura, LifeLock by Norton, Identity Guard, IDShield, and IdentityForce. While NordProtect leverages Nord Security's strong cybersecurity reputation, some competitors offer more extensive multi-bureau credit monitoring and a wider range of family plan options. Overall, NordProtect stands as a robust solution for identity management, offering strong protective and recovery capabilities.
If I asked you to draw a picture of an office chair, I strongly suspect you'd show me something that looked a lot like the Boulies OP300.
To me, it's professional seating well-suited for professional spaces. Now, I’m a big fan of the company’s EP200 office chair (you can read my review here). One of my main issues with it, though, is the limited availability outside the UK. Thankfully, that’s not an issue with the OP300 office chair, which is readily available in both the UK and the US.
With that in mind, I was keen to try out the OP300 - formerly, and briefly, known as the EP300. For what it’s worth, the EP series are for those using an office chair for around six hours a day, while the OP range are aimed at professional settings, gaming, and those using the chair for over eight hours a day. I’m not sure I fully agree with this division. I use the EP200 for at least eight hours a day without fatigue or discomfort. But maybe that’s besides the point.
It’s a smart, all-black ergonomic seat that looks professional and feels comfortable, with plenty of adjustments to find the sweet spot. I spent the last two months trying it out to see how it compares to the best office chairs around.
Boulies OP300: Price & availability
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The Boulies OP300 is priced at $370 / £290 - although at the time of review, it’s on sale for $300 / £260 via the Boulies website in the US (click here) and the UK (click here). I’m also seeing it on Amazon.co.uk, under its original name, for the same cost.
I’d suggest the price is about right for what you get here, putting it roughly on par with the likes of the FlexiSpot OC3 and Branch Task Chair as a mid-range professional seating option.
Boulies OP300: Specs
Price (RRP)
$370 / £290
Seat height
19.5 - 23in / 49.5 - 58.5cm
Seat depth
18.1 - 20.3in / 46 - 51.5cm
Seat width
20.7in / 52.5cm
Backrest height
20 - 21.6in / 51 - 55cm
Recommended user height
5’5” - 6’3”
Max weight load
120kg / 265lbs
Material
Back: Mesh / Padded mesh Seat: Padded foam
Warranty
2 years
Boulies OP300: Design
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There’s something distinctly functional about the design of the OP300 - and that’s no bad thing. It’s a traditional office chair design that will suit every office environment. One look and you can imagine it parked under a hundred desks in an open-plan office just as easily as in the home office.
The chair itself is available with either a mesh or padded mesh backrest (reviewed here) and a cushioned foam seat. Whichever you choose, this is an office chair Henry Ford would understand - like the Model T, you can choose any color you want, “so long as it is black.” And, again, I don’t consider that a drawback for the types of settings this chair is designed for. In fact, I’d argue that this uniformity is exactly what you’d want in the workplace.
The backrest width isn’t quite as wide as the EP200 (approximately 20in vs 19in), but wide enough - and more importantly, supportive enough - to comfortably fit most body types. As is the seat itself, for that matter, which I think it a nice touch. Around the back is a sturdy Y-shape support where backrest height adjustments can be made and that, again, to my eye, looks functional rather than unnecessarily over-designed.
In use, the casters rolled nicely across both wooden flooring and textured carpeting, and while sitting, it didn’t creak or feel unstable. While the plastic is thin in places (notably on that Y-support), it doesn’t feel cheap or prone to break under use.
Boulies OP300: Assembly
Firstly, it’s worth noting that when disassembled in the box, it’s heavy - I'd strongly recommend having two people carry this to its destination. How my delivery guy managed alone to get this from his van to my door is a testament to his strength and sheer tyranny of will. Once in position, it’s an easy one-person job.
I had no issues putting this chair together, taking me around fifteen to twenty minutes to complete the entire procedure. Instructions were clear to follow. Even if you haven’t assembled an office chair before, it all makes sense and is pretty intuitive anyway.
Boulies OP300: Comfort & adjustability
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I have no problems with the amount of comfort delivered here - like the EP200, the broad seat itself feels at once firm and supportive, even with its foamy cushioning.
Now, that may be a deal-breaker for some who prefer to sink into an office chair like it’s a well-loved couch, but I rather prefer this, and it kept me productive (and less sluggish) throughout my use. Although, saying that, the backrest, which reclines between 85 and 113 degrees, felt soft and breathable, and I found it all too easy to snuggle into it.
Having a lot of adjustability is, I feel, critical for any ergonomic chair worth its salt. So, I was pleased to find loads of options to tweak the seat and find that comfortable sweet spot.
First, you can modify the seat depth to make sure you're firmly ensconced with your back against the rest. The armrests move in three directions - up, down, back and forth, and swivel in and out to suit your seating style. And the headrest can be lightly angled and adjusted up or down. So, those are the basic boxes all ticked.
Beneath the seat to the right (as you’re sitting in it) are three levers to alter the chair’s height and angle, and to lock the recline into place. On the left is the lever for adjusting seat depth. These are all operated by flipping the levers up or down, which I really liked. There’s no need to fiddle here, no pushing and pulling and flipping up or swivelling around three times and performing an awkward rain-dance to get the chair into your chosen position. It’s just simple and effective.
In fact, the only area where the chair isn’t adjustable is the lumbar support. It’s fixed into position. I would’ve liked to see more flexibility here, but I can’t say it’s especially noticeable in use.
Given the backrest can be adjusted between five levels depending on your height, and is already contoured, at no point did I find fatigue setting in or that my lower back wasn’t adequately supported while sitting down during the working day.
Boulies OP300: Final verdict
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One of the reasons I like Boulies office chairs is that they’re generally good all-rounders - and the OP300 is no exception. I’ve used this seat for working, gaming, chilling out, and, when family were over, even eating dinner at my downstairs desk.
With its classic silhouette and all-black materials, the design isn’t especially flashy - quite the opposite, in fact. But to my mind, that makes it ideal, where it won’t dominate the office or home office landscape.
At all times, the OP300 felt comfortable and supportive, which are really the two criteria any good office chair should meet.
Should I buy the Boulies OP300 office chair?
Buy it if…
✅ You want a comfortable, adjustable office chair: I used this chair for hours and hours at a time and felt none of the discomfort I get from cheaper office chairs. I especially like the simple adjustment mechanics.
✅ You want a traditional office chair that won’t break the bank: For what’s on offer, the Boulies OP300 is well-priced. Neither too cheap, nor too expensive, but about right.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You need adjustable or dynamic lumbar support: While the backrest is height-adjustable, the lumbar support is fixed into place, which some may not like.
❌ You need an office chair with serious style: I can’t emphasise enough how ‘professional’ the stylings of the OP300 are. In terms of design, it’s about as classic an office chair gets.
For more workspace essentials, we tested the best standing desks for the home and office.
Lots of password managers are free, and plenty more only unlock a good range of features if you pay loads of cash – but Sticky Password tries to bridge the gap.
Sticky Password is developed by Lamantine Software, a company that includes some of the original creators of AVG Antivirus.
This app attempts to deliver the best of both worlds by offering a free version with loads of features, including unlimited encryption and storage and biometric authentication – so it’s very capable for lots of people. The paid version is no less impressive, with cloud syncing, secure sharing and emergency access.
Then there’s Sticky Password for Teams, which is a comprehensive password management solution tailored for businesses. It offers all the security features as its consumer variant, alongside administrative controls to help streamline the use of passwords for a team of users.
We’re going to find out if Sticky Password can compete with the best password managers currently available.
Sticky Password: Key Features
Sticky Password offers essential features such as password sharing, password autofill, password generation, automatic syncing, and encrypted storage of credit cards and digital notes.
Sticky Password can generate long, complex password strings up to 99 characters long. You can customize the length and character types, and can combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to maximize protection.
(Image credit: Sticky Password)
The app can also help you save lots of time with its automatic form filling feature. You can use it to create and manage identities, and save everything from personal, email, and address details to credit card details, passport information, and more. Besides these, the app also lets you securely save any text with its Secure Memos feature.
Sticky Password also offers a suite of powerful features designed specifically for business. For instance, it allows admins to specify different permissions for different people. This makes it easy for businesses to streamline their password management and reduce points of weakness in the system.
The app also monitors the dark web and will alert you (and the concerned employee) if any of the managed credentials are found in known data thefts or leaks.
As a business product, Sticky Password for Teams has a centralized admin console. You can use it to add or remove users, delegate administrative rights, and more. As an admin you can even manage the entire team's licenses, including renewals and seat allocations, through this interface.
You can also grant, manage, and remove access to shared passwords with specific permissions for different people, to ensure your employees can collaborate securely. You can even earmark individuals who can access critical accounts in case of emergencies.
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For this, the app allows you to set the conditions under which access will be granted. The emergency contact will be granted access after sending you a request that you can reject during the waiting period.
The paid version of the app ensures all your passwords, and other encrypted data is synchronized across all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. It offers multiple options for this purpose, which is one of its best features.
You can either choose to sync the data over the cloud, which is very convenient if you have employees on the go, or, you can choose to sync over the local Wi-Fi router. Local Wi-Fi sync means that devices on the same network can share encrypted passwords and credentials without this data ever leaving the premises. This is ideal for businesses operating in one primary location because you can share passwords among colleagues in total security.
Importantly though, Sticky Password gives you full control over the devices and the network your data is synced over.
A final security feature we haven’t seen before is Sticky Password’s use of Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX) to further secure the sensitive data stored on a device. So even if an employee’s computer is stolen, the thief will be unable to access Sticky Password data that is encrypted and stored deep within the device’s CPU chip. Note however that this requires you to have a 7th Gen, or newer processor.
Sticky Password: Security and compliance
Top-notch security protocols are essential for any password manager, and Sticky Password doesn’t disappoint. Sticky Password uses all the industry-standard encryption protocols, and also goes further, offering innovative security features that are perfect for businesses.
Not only does Sticky Password encrypt all data end-to-end with 256-bit AES encryption, but it does not store the master password or the encryption key. Without these, no one, not even Sticky Password, can unencrypt your business’s valuable passwords and data. Elsewhere you’ve got fingerprint scanning, and this software runs portably – so it can boot from USB sticks and memory cards.
To ensure security when transferring passwords, Sticky Password uses the concept of trusted devices. These are devices that have been specifically authorized to access and synchronize your encrypted password database.
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Such devices are added to a whitelist on the admin console, after which they can perform synchronization operations. The first device you use with Sticky Password is automatically authorized during the initial setup. Additional devices require individual authorization, which is done by sending a one-time PIN.
For added security, you can also enable two‑factor authentication, which works in conjunction with the Google Authenticator app. Sticky Password can also be made to use biometric authentication. For this, you can verify your identity with a swipe of a finger on Android and iOS devices.
Sticky Password’s storage space and back-end system reside on secure Amazon AWS services (Amazon S3 and Amazon EC2), and according to its Privacy Policy, the app adheres to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards.
Sticky Password: Setup
Sticky Password has native apps for all the popular desktop, and mobile operating systems, including several releases of macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android.
The apps themselves are easy to download and install. It’s necessary to make an account before logging in, but this simply requires an email and password. We also recommend installing the Sticky Password browser extensions.
While it doesn’t have native Linux apps, you can use it on the best Linux distros like Ubuntu, and Fedora, and even on Chromebooks, through the contactless connect feature. This feature also gives you access to your passwords on shared computers where you can’t install the Sticky Password app.
Using contactless contact involves scanning a QR code with the Sticky Password app on your mobile device. That said, accessing passwords through this feature, while being completely secure, requires a little running around, and isn’t as convenient as using a native app.
Sticky Password: Interface and performance
The Sticky Password desktop application has a pleasing layout and makes it easy for the user to find important information and control their account. The security dashboard is particularly useful for visualizing security weaknesses.
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We were impressed with the speed of syncing. Using both a mobile and desktop device simultaneously resulted in a seamless experience. Once we had entered credential information on a desktop site, we could immediately log in password-free on a mobile device.
When setting up Sticky Password for Teams, the first person to activate the team license key on their device automatically becomes the team administrator. Once the admin is set up, you can invite other team members through the admins’ web interface.
Head to My team under the StickyAccount section to add and remove team members.
You can invite users via their email addresses. They’ll then receive instructions on how to install Sticky Password and join the team. Once added, you can also assign (and later revoke) admin rights to other team members.
If your colleges already have a StickyID, you can simply email them the team license key, which they can then plug into their account.
It’s a good idea to check your list of trusted devices from time to time. Head to Dashboard > Trusted devices to see the list of trusted devices, and remove the ones that are no longer in use. Removing a trusted device will also remove the local database and backups created by Sticky Password on this device.
The other tasks can be performed by the team members from their native Sticky Password desktop app. The first thing they should do is head to Menu > Import to import all their passwords in bulk. Sticky Password can import data from all the popular web browsers, as well as from the best password managers such as Bitwarden, BitDefender, KeePass, LastPass, RoboForm, and more.
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They can then also navigate to the Web Accounts tab to manually store their usernames and passwords for online accounts and services. Then there’s the App Accounts section where your users can store credentials for any locally installed app, such as for Skype or a remote desktop connection.
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Then there’s the Sharing Center where you can share passwords with other Sticky Password users, and manage their access and permission levels. As an admin, you can set individual permissions for each team member, and grant them either limited read-only rights, or full rights. The latter gives them the same rights as you, and they even have the authority to revoke your access as well.
Finally, head to Emergency Contacts under the Sharing Center section to add emergency contacts.
One of the most important sections of the Sticky Password app is the Security Dashboard. From here your users can monitor their password hygiene, and security posture. It helps identify and change weak, expired, reused passwords, and those that were exposed in a data breach.
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Sticky Password: Plans and pricing
Sticky Password offers a single Premium plan for businesses, with access to a 30-day free trial first. It costs $29.99 user/year, making Sticky Password more affordable than most of its competitors.
Similarly, individuals also get a single Premium product, which costs $29.99 for a one-year license. However, if you’re sure that you want to stick with Sticky Password for the long haul, the lifetime license for individuals costs $79.99.
Individuals can also use Sticky Password for free, which is meant for users who need to store and access their passwords from a single device, since it doesn’t have any synchronization ability. Also, just like business users, individuals too can take the Premium version for a spin with a 30 day free trial.
Sticky Password: Support
The Sticky Password website has a help center, so most of the time, troubleshooting can be done online without needing to contact the Sticky Password team.
For more complicated issues, businesses have access to online support with an average wait time of fewer than 24 hours. We would like to have seen a more responsive support service, as the lack of phone support might deter some businesses from investing in Sticky Password.
Sticky Password: The competition
While Sticky Password provides an excellent core service, we think businesses might be better off considering a password management solution with greater administrator control over user settings and privacy.
Competitors such as NordPass, LastPass, and RoboForm all provide more advanced analytics that medium and large-sized businesses are likely to appreciate. Although these providers are more expensive, companies that value user management and centralized access control might prefer to consider one of them.
Also note that unlike many other business password managers, you can’t use Sticky Password for Teams to provision users by integrating with in-house or cloud directory servers like active directory, or Microsoft Entra ID.
Sticky Password: Final verdict
Sticky Password is a middle-of-the-pack password management solution. Although it may not be the best password manager available, it is still a highly secure platform with just enough features to please business users.
In particular, we think local WiFi sync and Intel SGX are innovative features that might convince businesses to rely on Sticky Password for their organization. However, the lack of advanced business features like Active Directory integration means the app will only work for small businesses, rather than large companies.
On the flipside, its limited feature set means Sticky Password is also more affordable than many of its competitors. Given the fact that it makes no compromises when it comes to security, Sticky Password manages to successfully position itself as one of the most secure password managers available for small businesses.
The password manager market contains a huge variety of products, from basic individual products to enterprise-level utilities – and that’s where ManageEngine Password Manager Pro comes in.
This tool delivers the kind of features admins need with a business password manager, with rock-solid security, an incredible number of customization options and granular, in-depth options for managing your entire company’s identities and passwords.
It’s no wonder that it’s trusted by more than one million admins and users and has already been deployed by businesses like Walmart, VMWare and NASA. It’s also no wonder that this product is produced by Zoho, as that company has loads of experience producing enterprise software.
After you’ve discovered whether you should roll out ManageEngine Password Manager Pro to your business, head over to our verdict on the best password managers.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: Key Features
Password Manager Pro aims to equip admins with enough features and functionality to help transform password management from a security liability into a structured, controlled process.
Being aimed at large enterprises, the platform claims to deliver a complete solution that can help you control, manage, monitor, and audit the entire life cycle of privileged access.
Like all its peers, it offers a centralized password vault where your users can store all their passwords in a secure, encrypted database. As an admin, you can create a hierarchical structure of folders within the vault to organize passwords based on departments, systems, apps, or any other logical grouping.
The platform also enables you to define granular access controls to control who can access specific passwords, and whether users can only view the password, or even change it. They can also set time-based access restrictions, and even force approvals for password access.
Similarly, you can also restrict access based on IP addresses or IP ranges. Admins can also assign ownership of specific password records to other authorized users, allowing for decentralized management, which is especially useful in larger organizations.
Password Manager Pro can store more than just passwords, which makes it pitch itself essentially as a centralized, encrypted repository for business-critical data. You can, for instance, use it to securely house all kinds of documents, images, and files, as well as Windows service accounts, digital signatures, SSL certificates, SSH keys, and more.
The platform also offers password lifecycle management features. You can use it to create and enforce organization-wide password policies. It enables you to specify complexity requirements (minimum length, character types), word usage (password should not contain dictionary words, or login name), password aging (how often passwords must be changed), and password history (preventing reuse of recent passwords).
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You can also manually reset passwords for any account in the vault, and also enforce mandatory password resets for users. Passwords can be changed any time on demand, or automatically at periodic intervals. You can also configure passwords to be automatically reset after every usage.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro also offers several disaster recovery options, including live and scheduled database backups. You can restore the backed up data to the Password Manager Pro database using the provided recovery scripts.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: Integrations and Compatibility
As an enterprise solution, Password Manager Pro integrates with your existing Active Directory (AD) and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) installations. This allows your users to log in to Password Manager Pro using their existing AD or LDAP credentials, eliminating the need for separate logins.
Moreover, when a password is reset in Password Manager Pro, it can automatically update the password in the corresponding AD or LDAP account. Similarly, when users are added or removed in AD or LDAP, Password Manager Pro automatically updates its database to reflect these changes.
Password Manager Pro can also integrate with third-party Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems. It also integrates with IT Service Management (ITSM) tools like ServiceNow and Jira to automate password retrieval and management within incident and problem management workflows.
The platform also has plugins for several popular continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) platforms including Jenkins, Ansible, Chef, and Puppet. Thanks to these plugins you can securely inject secrets into your CI/CD pipelines, instead of hardcoding credentials in scripts.
The platform also provides three APIs to enable all kinds of enterprise apps to securely retrieve passwords from ManageEngine Password Manager Pro.
The platform also has a remote login feature that your users can use to securely access remote machines directly from the Password Manager Pro web interface, without needing to manually enter passwords. This comes in handy especially for establishing one-click connections to RDP, SSH, and telnet sessions.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: Security and Compliance
Unsurprisingly, ManageEngine Password Manager Pro has faultless security credentials. This software uses dual 256-bit AES encryption, first at application level, and then at database level.
You can also set it up to run in the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) compliant mode where all encryption is done through FIPS 140-2-certified systems and libraries.
Password Manager Pro also supports smart card authentication. You can further compliment this by various two-factor authentication (2FA) provisions to provide an extra layer of security. The platform supports PhoneFactor, Google Authenticator, Duo Security, YubiKey, and several more 2FA mechanisms.
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Password Manager Pro can also be configured to detect and send alerts when it detects passwords that violate your organization's IT policy, or have expired. Alerts can also be generated when users request access to specific passwords or resources.
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When it comes to auditing, the platform gives you as admins access to detailed audit logs that track all activities performed within Password Manager Pro. This covers events like password access, modifications, policy changes, user logins, and administrative actions.
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All events are reported together with timestamps and user details. These logs will help with security analysis, incident investigation, and compliance reporting. Password Manager Pro also lets you grab compliance reports for PCI-DSS, NERC-CIP, and ISO/IEC 27001 standards.
To ensure that none of its logs can be tampered, in addition to restricting access, the platform ensures they are encrypted with AES-256 encryption.
The platform can also record videos of sessions initiated through Password Manager Pro for RDP, SSH, telnet, and remote database connections. The videos include everything the users see on their screen, along with all the actions they perform during the sessions.
These videos help organizations meet audit requirements, and help comply with regulations like PCI-DSS, FISMA, and HIPAA.
Remember though that recording sessions can be resource-intensive in terms of storage space. Also, depending on the number of concurrent recordings, and the resources of the Password Manager Pro server, there might be a slight performance impact on user sessions.
(Image credit: ManageEngine)
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: Setup
Unlike many of its peers, Password Manager Pro is a self-hosted, on-premises password management solution. You can set it up on top of a Windows or a Linux machine, as it offers 64-bit installers for both platforms.
Before installing it, make sure the machine has at least a Dual Core or Core 2 Duo processor, with no less than 4GB of RAM. The product itself needs about 200 MB of disk space, and recommends earmarking 10GB at the minimum for the database.
The disk space requirements vary on usage, and you’ll need a lot more if you’ll be recording sessions regularly.
Besides this, you’ll also need an external mail server that Password Manager Pro can use to send emails and notifications to users. It can work with both your own in-house SMTP server, or a publicly available one.
Once that’s done, you can access ManageEngine’s settings through a web portal. At this point you’re going to get lost unless you’re an IT admin or someone with plenty of technology experience. This is a powerful tool, but that means you will be confronted with lots of different menus.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: Interface and performance
By default, Password Manager Pro has five predefined roles that come with a specific set of permissions. Administrators can set up, configure, and manage the platform, while Privileged Administrators can additionally configure privacy and security controls.
Then there are Password Administrators who can perform resource and password-related operations, while Password Auditors can also access all audit reports. Finally, there are Password Users who can view (and optionally modify) only those passwords that are shared with them by the Administrators and Password Administrators.
You’ll most likely login as an admin, which gives you extensive control over the platform. You can, for instance, perform bulk actions on password records, which helps save significant time and effort when managing a large number of passwords.
(Image credit: ManageEngine)
Indeed, the ManageEngine interface is not one for beginners. Its Dashboard has options for configuring mail servers, adding users and managing your company’s data, and the Dashboard also provides a quick overview of your password conflicts and violations – and how users across your whole network are managing passwords.
(Image credit: ManageEngine)
Go beyond the Dashboard, and in sub-menus, you’ll find in-depth areas for managing resources, groups, connections, certificates and SSH keys.
There’s lots going on here and you’ll have to know plenty about system administration to find your way around, but the interface is straightforward and unfussy – so it’ll fit right into your workflow.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: Plans and pricing
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro is a complex, technical product designed for medium business, large companies and huge enterprises, so its pricing structure is necessarily complex – and it’s not exactly a cheap bit of software.
As we’ve said before, Password Manager Pro has five predefined roles, and the licensing restricts the number of administrators as a whole. That said, there is no restriction on the number of Password Users and Password Auditors.
The Standard edition starts at $595 / £550 / AUD$ 900 for a year-long license for two administrators, and prices rise if you add admins. The Premium software starts at $1,395 / £1,250 / AUD$ 2,000 for a five-admin, one-year deal, and the Enterprise edition costs $3,995 / £3,800 / AUD$6,000 for a ten-user package. It’s also possible to buy perpetual licenses, although prices obviously rise further.
The Standard Edition has all the basic features to store your passwords and selectively share them among users. The Premium Edition adds more enterprise-class password management features such as remote password resets, session recording, IP restrictions, privacy settings, and more. To access every feature though you’ll need the top of the line Enterprise Edition.
Importantly though, you get support for adding unlimited resources and for managing an unlimited number of users, with each plan.
It’s also possible to add SSL/TLS certificate discovery, CSR, public CA integration and several other extra features to your package with the Key Manager Plus add-on. And while this is all very complex, ManageEngine’s enterprise-level feature set does mean that you’re able to contact the company for a customized quote too.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: Support
You get plenty of support options if you fork out the cash for ManageEngine Password Manager Pro, with toll-free phone support, email forms, direct email addresses and active user forums all available. Suffice to say that you will be able to get help if you need it, no matter the time.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: The competition
ManageEngine has plenty of strong competitors in the enterprise and big business password management space. Parent company Zoho has its own Vault password management system, and it’s worth exploring that product if you’d like a password management product that can be integrated with wider CRM, workplace and finance products.
Beyond Zoho and ManageEngine, we’d also recommend N-Able Passportal, which deploys a top range of impressive, high-end features for enterprise-level password management. It’s a great standalone product, although N-Able doesn’t have the same broad packages you’ll get with Zoho or ManageEngine.
ManageEngine Password Manager Pro: Final verdict
We’ll say this right away: ManageEngine Password Manager Pro is not the tool to buy if you want small business password management or a family product. It’s a high-end tool for enterprises and large businesses, and both its price and feature set reflect that status.
If you’ve got the budget and you need a high-end password management tool, though, there’s not much better than this. It’s just as good as its rivals, and you only need to consider which product has the features and integrations that your organization needs.
Zoner Studio is a WIndows-only take on both Photoshop and Lightroom - not as powerful as either (although a slew of regular updates is changing that), but a good entry-level/intermediate photo editor and organizer that comes in at a fair price.
After a recent name change from Zoner Photo Studio X to Zoner Studio, to better reflect the broader usage, the company says, I took the latest version out for a spin to see how it measures up against some of the best Adobe Photoshop alternatives.
Zoner Studio: Pricing & plans
Zoner Studio is available for a monthly subscription of $5.99, or $59 for the year. A family plan, letting two or more users in the same household use the app, is available for $9.98 a month or $98 a year.
For me, the pricing here is a big plus. There may not be a free version available (although there is a welcome free trial), but the cost is low, especially when compared to Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite of apps. The Photoshop and Lightroom Photography plan is currently priced at $22.99 a month. Your other option would be a tool like Affinity Photo, which has a one-off cost of $70.
The main differences between Zoner Studio and its rivals is that Zoner is only available on Windows machines, and it leans slightly more towards entry-level and intermediate users compared to Affinity Photo and Photoshop’s professional-grade photo editor.
Processor: Intel or AMD CPU 64-bit with SSE 4.2 support
RAM: 8GB
Storage space: 2GB
Screen resolution: 1280 × 800
If you’re familiar with photo editing software, you’ll have no problems navigating Zoner Studio. And, if you’re not, it’s not especially tricky to figure out - for me, that’s part of the appeal of the app, making it pretty welcoming to new users who want to do more with their photographs.
The main part of the screen is devoted to your selected image, with files and folders beneath, which can be scrolled through with your mouse. It’s a nice touch, making navigation that much easier.
Where new users may come unstuck are the five options to the right of the screen. Manager, Develop, Editor, Print, and Video (ok, those last two are self-explanatory). So, a little exploration wouldn’t go amiss - Zoner does at least feature non-destructive editing, letting you experiment with new tools without irretrievably modifying the original file.
Basically, Manager is for organizing and tagging photos. Develop is Zoner’s take on Lightroom, where you can edit RAW images, and Editor is for all other tweaks you want to make to your media, like adjusting the color temperature, or sharpening images. It’s all nicely laid out and generally easy to find what you’re looking for - and most options are also replicated in menus along the ribbon, which contextually change depending on which mode you’re in.
Zoner Studio: In use
(Image credit: Zoner // Future)
Using Zoner Studio isn’t especially tricky, but it may still feel a little overwhelming if you’re new to image editing given the sheer amount of options available here. I’d also advise beginners to hover over the side-panel icons - there are a lot here, and not all of them are especially intuitive, so hovering your mouse will serve up a name and brief description of each.
Your photos automatically appear in Zoner, since there’s a file explorer tab to the left of the screen (there is an import function along the ribbon, too, but I never found the need to use this). These will appear on a timeline at the foot of the main panel. When you’ve selected your image, it can then be edited and adjusted via the Editor tab.
All the familiar tools are here, from cropping and rotating to adding watermarks or directional blurring. As expected, then, there are heaps of tools for toying with the exposure (shadows, contrast, and so on), white balance (temperature and tint), and color (like saturation). I also like the addition of the tone curve, as you’d find in Lightroom, for lightening or darkening an image, or bringing specific color channels to the fore.
(Image credit: Zoner // Future)
There’s also a Quick Edit option, which populates the panel with the core tools most photographers and designers use without needing to fumble through the menus. The editing process can further be streamlined with the likes of Quick Fix and, ideal for social media, Quick Filters. All of these work instantly, just a press of the button.
The software includes some AI-powered tools, all of which deliver good results impressively quickly. This includes AI Masking, found in the Develop tab. Choosing this gives you the option to let Zoner automatically select the photo’s subject, background, objects, or sky for fine-tuning. For anyone looking to streamline the workflow, these are must-use tools, and I was pretty pleased with the speed and accuracy here.
One of the stand-outs for me is the AI Background Remover, which I found generally works very well. Once completed, I could then add a color background or create a transparent one for compositing into other images. Occasionally, the process removed elements of the image subject - typically when on darker or a similarly colored backgrounds - but on the whole, I had no serious complaints with this one-click background removal tool.
Perhaps the biggest issue, at least for those looking to make the switch away from Photoshop, is the lack of support for .PSD files. Instead, the software uses its own .ZPS files, which functionally work the same with layers and effects. But there’s no way to import or export Photoshop files into the app.
Overall, Zoner Studio packs in a wealth of tools for photo editing. It will take some getting used to if you’re new (and absolutely no time at all if you’re familiar with any of the best photo editors). But if you don’t need .PSD file support, there’s plenty to like here, especially for the price.
Should I buy Zoner Studio?
(Image credit: Zoner // Future)
Buy it if...
You’re new to photo editing: This is a great place to start if you’re new to editing images but want a good amount of powerful tools for bringing out the best in your photos.
You don’t want to spend too much: Zoner Studio is a lot cheaper than Adobe Photoshop or similar pro-grade packages.
Don't buy it if...
You want a basic app: If you’re just looking to crop or brighten images, you’ll find plenty of other options that won’t overwhelm.
You want a professional-level app: Similarly, if you want a pro-level software that delivers the very best results, you’ll get better results from the likes of Photoshop and Lightroom.
Terramaster has effectively carved out a niche in the NAS world with a combination of well-constructed hardware that supports a feature-rich environment and is aggressively priced.
As a result, it has attracted many home and small business customers who wouldn’t pay Synology, Asustor, or QNAP prices, but wanted solid equipment to manage and distribute data.
The F4 SSD isn’t the first SSD-based NAS that TerraMaster has produced, but it immediately stands out as something distinctly mainstream, significantly cheaper than the majority of products in this sector.
This small box can mount four PCIe Gen 3 NVMe drives, providing a total capacity of 32TB, and then distribute them over the network using a 5GbE LAN port.
The core of this solution is an Intel N85 processor, and it comes with 8GB of DDR5 memory, which is easily upgradable to 32GB by the user.
It utilises TerraMaster’s own TOS 6.0 operating system, although you don’t invalidate your hardware warranty if you use a third-party NAS OS, such as TrueNAS SCALE, Proxmox, etc.
With all this flexibility for a modest price, what’s the catch here?
The issue with this system is that the CPU’s power is on the low side, and therefore, it wouldn’t be ideal for running multiple simultaneous applications, Docker containers, or virtual machines.
At best, this hardware is best for primary tasks with perhaps a secondary role, but accept that file serving will take much of the power in this machine.
However, even with those limitations, this is a neat and helpful platform for those who want a tiny, silent and efficient NAS solution.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
TerraMaster F4: Price and availability
How much does it cost? From $400/£380
When is it out? Available now
Where can you get it? Direct from the makers or through an online retailer
Unlike some brands, TerraMaster is widely available and also sells its hardware directly from its website.
The asking price for the only available SKU is $399.99 on Amazon in the United States and £379.99 on Amazon in the United Kingdom. That’s $200 less than the larger F8 model, and half the price of the F8 Plus.
That’s dramatically cheaper than the Ugreen NASync DXP480T, which costs about double this and still only takes four NVMe drives. However, that machine has a much more powerful i5 platform, a 10GbE LAN port and Thunderbolt.
The Asustor Flashstor 6 FS6706T is slightly more expensive, offering a six-drive option with increased processing power and dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, but it comes with only 4GB of memory.
Closer to the Ugreen option in price is the QNAP TBS-464-8G for $589.99 from Amazon, powered by the Intel Celeron N5105/N5095. The downside of that option is, other than the price, that the 8GB of RAM is not upgradable.
However, not all competitor devices are sold as NAS. One competitive alternative is the Minisforum MS-01-S1260 Mini Workstation, a mini PC that utilises the Core i5-12600H processor, supports three M.2 2280 drives, and features dual 2.5GbE LAN ports and USB4.
In a barebones configuration where the customer must provide an operating system, RAM, and storage, the MS-01-S1260 can be purchased for just $399.99 on Amazon, and there are SKUs that feature more powerful Core i9 CPUs.
Excluding mini-computers overlapping NAS territory, the TerraMaster F4 is the cheapest mainstream branded SSD NAS around, and represents excellent value for money.
But, only if the use case doesn’t require significant amounts of processing power.
The design and layout of this machine seem vaguely familiar, as it employs a concept similar to that of the Beelink Me mini system I recently reviewed.
What they share is a cooling solution where the case acts as a chimney, drawing cool air from below, gathering heat as it rises over the motherboard and M.2 storage before being expelled out of the top.
In the F4, the air is propelled by two almost silent 50mm fans on the bottom, and the book-like form factor is arranged with the M.2 slots on one side and the processor and memory on the other.
What’s slightly different is that the front face of the unit, where it says TerraMaster F4, is clearly not the end that should be facing you. As all the ports and the power button are at the opposite end, which is the rear.
What’s great about this unit over some other NAS is how easy it is to get inside to add drives and upgrade memory. A single thumbscrew on the rear releases the outer skin, allowing it to slide off easily.
With this plastic shell removed, the M.2 slots and the memory are available, and this doesn’t require any tools. However, TerraMaster does include a screwdriver, which is useful for those easy-to-misplace M.2 screws, and thankfully, some spares are included in the box.
I’m surprised that the designers didn’t use a sprung plastic retainer, like those on the Asustor Flashstor 6 FS6706T, as it would have made this design entirely tool-free.
According to TerraMaster, the M.2 slots are designed for up to 8TB drives, and there is sufficient room for modules with integrated heatsinks to be used. What I recommend is that if you use any double-sided modules, you should add a heatsink to them, as there’s no thermal pad connecting them to the case, which is mostly made of plastic.
For those wondering what the best drives to use are, TerraMaster has a good selection of approved brands and models in stark contrast to the own-brand path that Synology has recently taken.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
Interestingly, I used an idiosyncratic mix of brands in my testing, some of which weren’t on this list, but I didn’t have any issues. The only ones the makers suggest to avoid are S500PRO modules by Fanxiang, and that’s across all their NAS boxes that can accept M.2 modules.
The only limitation on physical size for the F4 is that all drives must be NVMe and 2280, as there are no retainer positions for 2260, 2242, or 2230 drives.
If I were deploying one of these on a budget, I’d be considering using a drive like the Crucial P3, where the 4TB model can be found for under $220. Using these, a system with 16TB of storage can be constructed for close to $ 1,200, and as SSD NAS go, that’s cheap.
The strength of this design lies in its relatively low power consumption and vertical tube topology, which make for a simple-to-deploy and nearly silent NAS.
For those who would like a small NAS to sit on their desk, perhaps to keep a live backup of a running system, the F4 is ideal in many respects.
Design: 4 / 5
TerraMaster F4: Features
Intel N95 CPU
No ECC memory
Only 9 PCIe Lanes
When Intel first introduced the Atom series of processors, many wondered why customers would purchase such low-power systems. These days, platforms that are scaled back to run 24/7 or deliver just enough performance for the primary task are common.
The Intel N95 is where low-power computing took Intel, and it’s not anything you would ideally wish to use on a desktop computer.
While it does have an integrated GPU with sixteen execution units, this processor is more limited by its four-core CPU, which doesn’t support hyperthreading. Four cores on Windows 11 would be a nightmare, but for the custom Linux platform of TOS 6.0, it is sufficient. Additionally, with 8GB of RAM, expandable to 32GB, it is also more than enough for file-serving duties.
However, the wall and running into that barrier are never too far away with the N95, and this isn’t a system that would enjoy being pre-loaded with demanding applications. Those who put Plex on it don’t expect it to do that and also run a torrent client, a mail server and three Docker containers, because it won’t be smooth sailing.
Precisely where the N95 runs out of road entirely depends on how demanding the apps are, but if you want to run many applications, then there are alternatives that use more powerful Intel and AMD processors that will be better choices.
The other limitations of the N95 are that it can only address a single memory module and has limited PCIe Express lanes. There is only one memory channel, and thankfully, TerraMaster engineers used a DDR5 module on it to maximise bandwidth.
Intel claims it can address up to 16GB, while TerraMaster says 32GB, but whichever is correct, they both agree it doesn’t support ECC memory, unfortunately.
I believe, and this may be misinformation, that the standard memory model of the N95 allows only 16 GB. The additional 16GB of memory can be used for things like virtual machines.
If you don’t intend to use VMs, then putting more than 16GB in the F4 is probably pointless.
Even 16GB is a good amount of memory for a small server, especially when you consider that the drives in this unit don’t require much caching to perform well.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
A bigger issue is the PCIe lanes, since these dictate exactly how much data can flow through the system and to externally connected devices.
With only nine PCIe 3.0 lanes, there isn’t enough bandwidth for the SSDs to have the full X4 lanes that modern NVMe drives are designed for. Two of the slots have been downgraded to X2, while the other two remain at X1. Therefore, it’s a futile exercise to populate these slots with modules meant for PCIe 4.0, since they will be downgraded to PCIe 3.0 by the system.
Being pragmatic, achieving 1GB/s from two drives and possibly 2GB/s from two others is still well beyond the performance required to saturate the 5GB/s of the single LAN port fully.
As there were no PCIe lanes left to add a card slot, the only way to get more network bandwidth is by using USB adapters. There are relatively inexpensive 5GbE adapters that can utilise USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, but I cannot personally confirm whether they would work on this platform.
Again, if you want better than a single 5GbE LAN connection and more PCIe lanes for faster drives, then this probably isn’t the NAS for you.
Overall, the F4 makes the most of its hardware, but this machine won’t break any records for having excess performance on tap or for its responsiveness.
Features: 3 / 5
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
TerraMaster F4: Software
TOS 6.0
Applications
Yes to TrueNAS and UnRaid
For those who started with TerraMaster early on, and I’m happy to say that includes me, the evolution of the TerraMaster OS, or TOS, has been impressive.
Now in its sixth incarnation, this is a pretty mature platform that offers a wide range of functionality and applications.
While it doesn’t quite reach the levels of polish that Synology prides itself on, the feature set of TOS 6.0 ticks plenty of boxes.
One interesting change of direction that TerraMaster isn’t unique in taking is a shift away from first-party applications to those that are installed either as Docker-packaged containers or as virtual machines. Some compiled TOS apps, such as Qtorrent and Plex, are available on the TerraMaster application store. However, you can install later versions of these tools by finding the Docker container and using it instead.
While TerraMaster isn’t competing with the likes of QNAP and Synology for the number of available apps on its platform, there is more than enough for the majority of customers, and it isn’t a closed environment that requires approved tools.
TOS 6.0 isn’t for everyone, but TerraMaster is one of those NAS makers that is entirely customer-focused and is happy for their hardware to be used with TrueNAS Scale, UnRaid, Proxmox, or any other NAS OS the owner wishes. You won’t receive software support from TerraMaster if you opt for this approach, but hardware issues are still covered during the warranty period.
It’s interesting to see that TerraMaster and Ugreen are both pitching the ‘NAS-your-way’ approach, whereas other brands seem less confident about allowing alternatives into their playgrounds. This direction appears opposed to where Synology is heading, where the turnkey solution comes with much stricter limits on what you can and can’t do.
This is certainly more customer-friendly, but will it lead to a future where NAS makers no longer bother with a branded OS and instead offer a pre-loading service of a popular third-party OS? Only time will tell.
In short, TOS 6.0 offers a plethora of features that cover the majority of tasks that NAS commonly use, and if these don’t quite match your needs, the ability to run Docker containers and VMs is a viable answer.
Software: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
TerraMaster F4: Final verdict
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
There are good things about the F4, and some other things that aren’t wonderful.
Unless you kludge a NUC into a mini server, this is undoubtedly one of the most affordable SSD NAS options available. However, being realistic, the cost of the F4 is likely to be dwarfed by that of the M.2 modules unless you only install 1TB or smaller drives in it.
If you can afford to populate this with 8TB modules, or even 4TB, then you might get more performance in return by investing in an Asustor or Ugreen SSD NAS.
The other issue here is that the Intel N95 limits the system’s capabilities somewhat, as it lacks the performance to handle multiple apps or Docker containers. It also dictates that there is no USB4/Thunderbolt, which on other systems can be used to locally network to a host PC while the LAN ports support other users.
The natural space this device occupies is either as a network location for live synchronisation or as a directly connected external storage system. In both these scenarios, the 5GbE LAN port can deliver and retrieve data at over 500MB/s, making it as fast as a USB 3.2 Gen 1 attached SSD. The lure is that it can offer capacities much larger than even the biggest USB-connected SSDs, which typically only offer 8TB as their largest option.
Outside of this use, justifying the investment becomes tougher, since this doesn’t have the power to be an all-purpose NAS or the LAN connections to handle a 10GbE network.
Should I buy a TerraMaster F4?
Value
Inexpensive, if you ignore the M.2 modules
4 / 5
Design
Elegant chiney cooling and easy access
4 / 5
Features
5GbE LAN, 8GB of RAM, but only a four-core CPU
3 / 5
Software
TOS 6 has plenty to like
4 / 5
Overall
Some improvements, removed features at twice the price
4 / 5
Buy it if...
You need a live local backup With a 5GbE LAN port and up to 32TB of local storage, this could be the perfect device for live synchronising files from a desktop or workstation PC. The only caveat is that the unit must be either directly connected or used with a 5GbE network infrastructure.
You need a flexible solution The app selection on ADM 5.0 is extensive and covers all the possible requirements, and for specialist user there are always Docker containers or VMs.
Don't Buy it if...
You need massive capacity Even using 8TB SSDs, the four slots limit the practical space this NAS can have. If you use redundancy, that could be 24TB or less. Since a single conventional hard drive can have that much, this isn’t ideal for those with large datasets.
You need a flexible solution The app selection on ADM 6.0 is extensive and covers all the possible requirements, but with only four cores running, more than a couple of demanding tasks isn’t a realistic option. If you want a more flexible NAS, then there are more powerful systems.
Also Consider
Asustor Flashstor 12 Pro FS6712X An older Asustor machine that can take twelve M.2 drives, giving a maximum potential of 96TB, should you have the funds for that many 8TB drives.
What this unit lacks is processing power, as it's powered by an Intel Celeron N5105. That chip also means it only offers USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports for connecting external storage.
Ugreen NASync DXP480T Plus A beautifully engineered NVMe NAS that takes 2280 drives of all sizes in its four slots. Twice the cost of the F4, it features an integrated heatsink design, a single 10GbE LAN and Thunderbolt 4.0 ports. Given its feature set, this is a viable alternative, admittedly with the same potential capacity.